Rodney and Significant Other Playlist Challenge
by IantojJackh
Summary: My response to the challenge by DWparsnip: A fic about Rodney and a Significant Other. Based on the title of a song, but no lyrics and the title must appear in the piece. Up now: Purple People Eater
1. Natural Woman

**Rodney and Significant Other Playlist Challenge: DtC's Submission**

Jennifer sighed as she passed her hand in front of the door sensor, having just finished the shift from hell. One of the science teams had encountered a plant similar to poison ivy, but the effects were ten times worse. She did not even want to think of how some of them had a rash on their private parts and not their hands. Every time she tried to imagine a plausible scenario, her head started to pound. A hot shower followed by a hot cup of tea while buried under the warm covers sounded like the best medicine to put the horrendous day behind her. There was only one thing that could work better but he was working late and would not be home until after midnight.

With a heavy sigh, Jennifer tossed her jacket on the couch and was tempted to use the couch as her bed. She was still getting used to the bigger room and having a separate living and sleeping area, but this was more homey in a way because it was _their _home. The first man besides her father the young woman lived with. The thought bought a hint of a smile to her weary face.

"You can make it," Jennifer willed herself toward the bathroom. As the door to the bedroom opened the physician bought her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. If the site of rash infested scientist's made her stomach turn, the site before her now made those horrid visions a very distant memory.

Jennifer watched as the towel clad hips swayed to a beat only he could hear and his lips moved the words playing into his ears. This was too good to interrupt and with each passing second, her foul mood melted away. The entertained woman let the performance finish before she made her presence known. "So, I make you _feel like a natural woman_?" Jennifer peeked at her iPod that was on the dresser and snaked one hand through Rodney's wet hair. She really loved this man even with all his quirks. He had an uncanny ability to lift her out of the worst moods.

"I...I," Rodney fought to explain his actions, but he could not. With being caught in a vulnerable moment and the sultry way he saw the woman look at him in the mirror, the logical part of his brain shut down.

Jennifer slid her arms around Rodney's waist and pulled the towel away. "How about my _natural woman_ helps me forget the horrible day I had and joins me in the shower?"

Rodney could not see the grin grow on Jennifer's face as she stared at his naked body in the mirror. "But I just..." he caught on before it was too late. "I think I missed a few spots on my back the first time."

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><p>AN: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman was written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Jerry Wexler. Of course it's performed by the Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin. Word count 473. This is probably the last piece I'm posting for a few days as I leave for vacation tomorrow morning and will not return until Saturday. Hopefully, the long flights will give me time to get chapters done on some of my other works. Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think of this submission.


	2. You're Beautiful

Jennifer stared in the mirror and frowned at the reflection looking back. Her eyes were sunken into the black circles that had taken up permanent residence around her sockets. She carefully tied the headscarf around her bald head. The first two rounds of chemotherapy had spared her hair but the most recent caused it to fall out in clumps. It also left her drained of all energy. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes and she could not look at herself anymore.

She tightly squeezed her eyes shut as a shriek of laughter came from the bathroom. The laughter was the hardest part of battling the lymphoma that Jennifer was fighting hard to conquer. The ill woman could not be the mother she wanted to be to her ten month old son and she did not know if she would be there to watch him grow up.

Jennifer could not do anything more than sitting up for a couple of minutes since her last chemo treatment. She had to have assistance in some basic daily routines and she hated herself for it, as Rodney had not complained once since her diagnosis. He had to take care of her and their son all while juggling shifts in his lab. It was only a small measure of good fortune that John and Woolsey did not make him go off world. Tears started again as the sweet laughter of her son came from the bathroom. Jennifer had no idea what was going on in the bathroom and wished she could be part of it.

When a bad case of vertigo hit, Jennifer carefully made her way to bed and crawled under the covers. She closed her eyes and tried to think good thoughts. The tired woman was about to drift off when she felt something being placed on her chest. She opened her eyes to see the smiling and drooling face of her son. "Hey you," Jennifer tired to smile and started to laugh when the boy blew a spit bubble.

"Thought you could use the company," Rodney grinned as he rubbed his son's back. "When we were in the bathroom, Scott said he wanted to make you smile." He reached up with his other hand to remove the headscarf from his wife's head.

"Rodney, don't." Jennifer quickly put up her hand to stop him. Her tone was a little more forceful than she had intended because she saw the child on her chest flinch.

"Shh," he reassured a tense Jennifer. Rodney knew she was self-conscious about the hair loss, but he did not understand why she had to be like that when they were alone.

"Please," the agitated woman clenched her jaw. "Put it back..." Words escaped Jennifer when she saw Rodney's shaved head. "What did you do?" she reached out to touch his smooth head.

"I said I'd be here for you every step of the way. That includes hair loss too," he said with a wry smile.

Jennifer was rendered speechless, truly and deeply touched by her husband's gesture. "I don't know what to say. I don't think I would have been able to do this without you. Now we can be hideous together," she matched his wry smirk.

Rodney shook his head, "I'll be the hideous one. Not you. _You're beautiful_. Always are and always will be." He spoke true from his heart as he placed a soft kiss on Jennifer's lips.

"Thank you," Jennifer said in a strangled voice. There were not many people who truly knew the man before her, but she was glad that she was one of the select few that Rodney chose to let in and share who he truly was. "I love you," Jennifer closed her eyes and drifted off; content she had her two favorite men by her side.

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><p><strong>Five Years Later<strong>

"I think she is finally waking up."

"Come on. Wake up. Mommy, wake up."

Jennifer groaned as she started to come out of the anesthesia induced sleep and heard the excited voices around her. She felt a small hand tugging her arm, knowing that it was Scott. As the tired woman opened her eyes, she saw the smiling face of her husband and son.

"How are you feeling?" Rodney asked.

"Hmm. Still a bit numb," Jennifer mumbled and smiled at the bundle in his arms. "Let me see her. I want to see Emily." She saw the brief grimace on Rodney's face and panic set in. "What is it?"

"I don't think that name is going to work. Seems like our very healthy and big little one was hiding something," Rodney grinned as he looked at the sleeping newborn he was holding. "Jen, I want to introduce you to our new son, coming in at ten pounds ten ounces and twenty one inches long," he lowered the baby to meet his mother.

"A son?" she asked unsure at first, but was all smiles when she laid eyes on the precious little face with chubby cheeks. "We did it," Jennifer reached out to hold her son. Tears poured from her face. The doctors had given her a fifty percent chance of surviving her cancer past three years and a less than one percent chance of having another child. She was four years in remission and holding her healthy newborn son. Life could not make a more perfect moment for the McKays.

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><p><strong>An:** I couldn't leave with a possible sad ending hanging, so to make things right I went a little over with the word count being 898. "You're Beautiful" was written by singer James Blunt, Sacha Skarbek, and Amanda Ghost and performed by James Blunt on his debut album, Back to Bedlam. This little tale would not leave me alone until it was written. Now back to my scheduled stories. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.


	3. Beauty and the Beast

**Beauty and the Beast**

**W/C: 680**

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><p>Rodney sat on the floor, his legs tucked under him and his head buried in his hands. "Why did you have to do this now?" he yelled at the hiding culprit. "The two minutes...okay make that five I went to get a snack and you decide to strike?" Rodney was sure his voice carried enough that the neighbors heard his tirade. "You just wanted a snack? How would you like it if used one of your toys as a snack? Bet you wouldn't like it, would you?" The furious physicist could feel the heat from his anger radiating off his body. "Don't think you can hide from me. I didn't even want you in the first place, but she convinced me you were a good idea. You've been nothing but trouble with your eating everything in sight and leaving your <em>little<em> presents everywhere. I know what you left in my shoe the other day was no accident. I know you are out to get me. You're jealous that she likes me better than you. I've been around a lot longer than you and I'm not going anywhere."

He had put too many words into one breath and had to pause to catch his breath. "If we are going to co-exist under one roof we have to set some ground rules," Rodney scanned the room for any sign of the cause of his problems. "First rule: We don't eat Rodney's work," he picked up the drool covered broken tablet. "Second rule: Your snoring is not to be louder than mine. Third rule: No interrupting when Jennifer and I have the bedroom door closed. I don't want to hear any of that whimpering and crying. You are not the only one allowed to have fun in this house. Fourth Rule: No begging at the table. It makes you look sad and pathetic. Table food will make you fat. Fifth rule: My socks are not food. Neither are my boxers. Sixth rule: Citrus shaped toys are to be kept out of my shoes. Don't think I don't know what you are trying to do. I'm on to you. You are trying to get me out of the picture."

Rodney stood up and looked around to make sure no one was home to hear his rant, otherwise they might have begun to question his sanity more than they already did. "You're lucky I just started the project or there would be a hefty price to pay," the scientist grumbled as he plopped himself on the couch and reached for the television remote. After skimming through the hundred plus channels and finding nothing interesting on, Rodney settled on Bill Nye's show just so he could laugh at the man. "You can live with him and chew some of his bow ties. I can send you as a gift to him," he called out to the still hiding terror.

It did not take long before Rodney fell asleep and was only awoken when he felt a sweet pair of lips upon his. "Hmm. Isn't the prince supposed to wake the sleeping princess with a kiss and not the other way around?" a smile formed on his lips for the first time all afternoon.

"Funny," Jennifer smirked and mussed his hair up. "Though I must say this is an interesting scene to come home to. Beauty and the beast," she first pointed to Rodney and then to the half-asleep pug on his stomach. The woman knew the two males of the house never got along so it was amusing to see them asleep on the couch together.

Rodney's smile quickly faded into a scowl, "You! You ate my homework!" he pointed at the dog who had its head tilted in confusion.

The pug saw the finger pointed at him as food and began to lick it.

"Ewww. I don't know where that tongue has been," Rodney looked at his finger in disgust.

Jennifer only shook her head and laughed. Life had been interesting since Baron came into their life. Each struggling for the role of alpha male.

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><p>AN: Beauty and the Beast was written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman for the same titled Disney movie. The song has been sung by numerous people. Angela Lansbury sung it during the movie and Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson during the closing credits.


	4. Last Kiss

A/N: This is not nearly as sad as the original song. They are on opposite sides of the spectrum.

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><p><strong>Last Kiss <strong>

"Rodney, you really should be going," Jennifer placed a hand on each of his shoulders in an attempt to push him away, but there was not much effort behind it.

"I've got plenty of time," Rodney nibbled on Jennifer's neck, teasing the sensitive flesh. "It's only eleven fifty-six," he paused briefly to look at his watch. "See plenty of time," his lips returned to their position on her neck.

"Stop! You leave a mark and I'm calling the whole thing off," she pushed to put an inch of space between them. "Don't pout like that," Jennifer pointed a finger at the irresistible man before her.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I wasn't pouting. I just don't want to go," Rodney wrapped his arms around her and pulled Jennifer closer until their lips collided.

The anxious woman knew what he was trying to do and it was not going to work, but she allowed him the kiss. It was going to have to be their last for almost fifteen hours. "Now you have to go," Jennifer said reluctantly as their lips parted.

"Okay, fine," the astrophysicist sighed heavily. "You know it's only two minutes to midnight. I've still got time."

"You are just testing my patience, buster," Jennifer teasingly poked Rodney's shoulder. "It's just for tonight. Now go," she started to push the man toward the door.

"Just one more. One last kiss," Rodney put on a face that he knew Jennifer could not resist.

The physician shook her head and pretended to think on the proposal. "Just one more couldn't hurt."

"Besides we are going to need practice for tomorrow," Rodney said as to justify his reason for a stolen kiss. He did not wait for a response and he lowered his head for a kiss that he hoped would make Jennifer forget about the time.

For a moment, she let nothing but feelings from the kiss wash over her. It was the beeping from her watch, singling it was midnight, that pulled Jennifer out of the blissful moment. "Close your eyes and get out," her hands quickly covered Rodney's eyes as she nudged him toward the door. "Are they shut?"

"Yes, they are shut," Rodney sounded mildly annoyed. "I don't see what the big deal is," he pouted as his hand fumbled for the door control.

"Because it's important to me. That should be enough," her tone was one would use when talking to a small child, which was fitting for the way the love of her life was acting right now.

There was no arguing with that logic and Rodney let out a sigh as he was shoved out of his room. He opened his eyes when he heard the door slide close. "You know, if I knew you were so serious about not having me see you before the ceremony I would never have agreed to a sunset ceremony."

"It will be worth the wait, kitten," Jennifer pressed her hand against the door.

Rodney paled as he looked around to make sure no one was around to hear him being called that. It was one nickname he did not need getting around the city. "Not so loud. I love you," his hand pressed against the door in the same spot of Jennifer's.

"I love you too. See you at sundown. Next time our lips will meet we will husband and wife."

Rodney smiled because he would not have it any other way.

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><p>AN: Last Kiss was written by Wayne Cochran, Joe Carpenter, Randall Hoyal & Bobby McGlon in 1961. Was made famous in 1964 by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers and then again in 1999 by Pearl Jam.


	5. Purple People Eater

A/N: I don't know where this one came from. My mind told me to write this so it did. Unbeta-ed so any mistakes are mine. Please read and review. Thank you.

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><p><strong>Purple People Eater<strong>

Rodney sat cowering in the bed, shaking as he pulled the sheet over head. The noises around him sound like teeth scrapping against the bones of their prey. A loud slam almost caused the frightened scientist to almost leap off the bed. He hesitated to sneak a peek out from the little protection the thin sheet offered, but for now, it offered the best protection from the jungle that surrounded him.

In a moment of bravery, Rodney dropped the sheet to see if flying creatures were still thirsty for his blood. When he saw the neon blur aiming for his head, the sheet was thrown back over his head, but not before he let out a high-pitched scream. The world was much safer here and nothing could get to him, especially the beast that tried to kill him a short time ago. He clutched his wounded arm that had only a tiny puncture mark as if someone had just cut off half his arm The wretched whimpering made it sound as if physicist was in complete agony.

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><p>"What happened to you, Doc?" John approached the woman hunched over the computer, reading results off the computer. Jennifer's left forearm was bandaged up and it looked like she was in pain whenever she tried to move the limb.<p>

"Got bit," Jennifer slightly raised her arm.

"And that is something new?" he joked, hoping to make the woman at least crack a smile. Sheppard did not expect the comment her got back.

"First time that blood was drawn," the unamused woman said in a voice lacking any emotion. "I was trying to take a blood sample when Rodney sunk his teeth into my arm and said 'Begone you, demonic purple people eater.' It's not funny." Jennifer glared as she saw John trying not to laugh.

John regained his composure, "I take it that the cream the natives gave him was not sun block."

Jennifer shook her head, "It has sun block properties, but it also has trace elements of something with a similar chemical composition to LSD. There must be something in their genetic makeup that makes them unaffected by LSD properties." The natives of Opiata seemed very lucid during the negotiations and there was no reason to believe anything was wrong when they offered the cream as Rodney complained about the strong sun.

"So McKay is just having a really bad trip? So in a few hours Rodney will be back to his cranky self?"Leave it to Rodney to have his obsession with protecting his fair skin to backfire so badly.

"Yes. He will be back to himself soon."

A coy smirk spread across Sheppard's face as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked away humming Purple People Eater. He did not see the rude gesture the normally calm physician made behind his back.

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><p>End AN: "**Purple People Eater**" is a novelty song, written and performed by Sheb Wooley, that reached #1 in the Billboard pop charts in 1958.


End file.
